HOW WE CAPTURED ONE OF BOKOHARAM MOST EVIL COMMANDER

We went to recover two T-72 tanks. During the operation, we captured Lawan—a Boko Haram commander remembered for the fear he caused around Gwoza. In this video, I recount that operation around October 2019: reports circulating among soldiers, our advance, the fighting, and how residents identified a man we had already passed. We heard reports that eight of twelve T-72 tanks intended for soldiers had been diverted. Later, reports of Boko Haram attacking soldiers in Konduga with a new T-72 raised unanswered questions. I explain what we heard and how it affected our confidence. Our battalion joined another unit to recover two tanks. Close to 700 soldiers advanced over three days, carrying heavy weapons against a heavily armed opponent. Fighting near a populated community also meant worrying about civilians. I describe the intense fighting, the overwhelming noise, and noticing blood coming from my ear. I remember officers fighting alongside us and the pressure to return with the tanks. When Boko Haram fighters withdrew, Lawan was in the community, dressed as a beggar. We passed him before residents began shouting and identifying him. We recovered the tanks and captured Lawan, but we also lost soldiers. The outcome brought a sense of achievement alongside the pain of losing our colleagues. Some stories about Lawan were rumours I cannot confirm. I do not know what happened to him after his capture or how the reported missing tanks reached Boko Haram. Those questions stayed with me. This is my account of Nigerian Army life, fighting Boko Haram, civilian courage, and the unanswered questions soldiers carry home. 00:00 How We Captured a Notorious Boko Haram Commander 00:33 Why I Held Back This Story 00:59 Remembering the October 2019 Operation 01:08 Boko Haram’s Command Structure 01:35 Lawan’s Role Around Gwoza 02:08 Lawan’s Reputation and the Rumours About Him 02:43 The Wanted List and Lawan’s Name 03:37 Accounts of Violence and Forced Recruitment 04:18 The Background to Lawan’s Capture 04:30 Fear, Extortion and Abductions in Communities 05:03 Weapons Being Sent for an Offensive 05:35 Twelve T-72 Tanks Intended for Soldiers 06:19 Moving the Tanks Towards Sambisa 06:35 Sambisa Forest and Camp Zero 07:10 How the Tanks Were Supposed to Be Distributed 07:33 Reports That Eight Tanks Had Been Diverted 07:58 Why I Started Thinking About Leaving the Army 08:19 Four Tanks Arrived—Questions About the Other Eight 09:14 Soldiers React to the Reports 09:49 An Attack on Soldiers in Konduga 10:16 Reports of Boko Haram Using a New T-72 11:02 Questions About How the Tanks Reached Them 11:36 Our Battalion Joins Another Unit 12:00 The Mission to Recover Two T-72 Tanks 12:24 Preparing for the Advance Towards Gwoza 12:52 What We Heard During an Overnight Halt 13:16 Questions Nobody Could Answer 14:11 Close to 700 Soldiers and the Recovery Order 14:44 How the Reports Affected Soldiers’ Morale 14:59 The Weapons We Took Into the Operation 15:15 Concerns About Civilians in Gwoza 15:42 Three Days Advancing Towards the Objective 16:03 Boko Haram Attacks Before We Reach the Community 16:17 Facing Weapons We Believed Were Meant for Us 17:03 The Loudest Fighting I Had Experienced 17:43 Noticing Blood Coming From My Ear 18:07 Hearing Protection and Soldiers’ Experiences 18:31 The Force and Sound of Heavy Weapons 18:54 Recalling How 40 Barrel MRL Unalived a Brigadier General 19:52 Back to the Battle: Struggling to Hear My Rifle 20:20 The Danger of Taking Cover Behind Unarmoured Vehicles 20:39 Taking Cover as the Heavy Weapons Fired 21:05 The Equipment and Pressure Behind the Mission 21:39 The Officers Who Accompanied Us 22:11 A Lieutenant Fighting From a Gun Truck 22:28 Lawan’s Fighters Begin Withdrawing 22:44 The Aftermath of the Fighting 23:22 Lawan Was Disguised as a Beggar 23:40 We Passed Him Before Residents Raised the Alarm 24:13 Community Members Identify Lawan 24:47 Turning Back and Taking Him Into Custody 25:18 Returning to Recover the Two Tanks 25:44 Remembering the Soldiers We Lost 25:58 Recovering the Tanks and Capturing the Commander 26:25 What I Do Not Know About Lawan’s Fate 26:59 Why His Information Could Have Mattered 27:25 My Frustration With the Continuing Conflict 28:15 My Views on People Who Benefit From Insecurity 28:59 Recalling a Soldier Who Spent Months in Captivity 29:08 My Concerns About Betrayal Within the System 29:42 Why I Share These Deployment Stories 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss any of my videos:    / @officialbenison   🤝 Connect with me: Instagram:   / officialbenison   Facebook: https://fb.com/100008219444415 TikTok:   / official_benison   #NigerianArmy #MilitaryStories #Benison #storytelling #military #nollywood #fypyoutube